Mail-box.



:EIGA; 4 Fla E. P. TOOMY.

MAIL BOX. APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1909.

Patented July-11, 1911.

win Wboz 3331;; his attozmu v.

EDMOND '1. 'roomrgor JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

' MAI -Box.

Application filed July 14, 1909. Serial no. 507,495.

To all whom it may concern. Begit known that I, -EDMOND F. TooMY, a citizenof the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county' of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of

which the following is a specification. a

My invention relates to mail or letter boxes and is especially applicable to boxes designed for receiving mail delivered at private residences or apartment houses, al-

though it will be obvious that certain features of the invention are of more general application,

Among the objects of my invention are,.

the construction of a-mail boxin which separate receptacles are provided for .the

reception of letters and newspapers and from which tl'ie remo-va-l of letters without ()peningthe door in the regular manner is made impossible. My invention also embodies severalv improvenidntsin structure which combine in producing a.box easy to manufacture and toinstall and of great strength and durability. In the accompanying drawings, which form a part .of this specification, Figure l is a transverse vertical sectional view of a box, showing its inner construction and its method of attachment to the wall. Fig. 2 is a front view of the box inpla ce. .Fig. 3 is a view .on a reduced scale of the blank from which the body of the box is constructed and gig; 4 is a horizontal sectional view takenon the line IV-IV of-Fig. 1.

In these drawingsI haveshown one modification of my invention, which I have chosenfor purposes of illustration, but Ido not wish to be understood as limiting myself to this specific construction as numerous changes may be made therein.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the

' body of the box is preferably formed from a single blank of metal 1, bent to form a back 2, with, the.- sides 3', top 4 and bottom The latter, may be inclined at an acute angle v to the back of the box, as shown, in order to throw the lettrrs dropped into the box forward and facilitate their -removal. The edges of the sides 3 are preferably turned outwardly to form flanges 6 to which the front of the box is secured.

7 'is the box front, which may be secured to the body of the boxin various ways,but preferably by means of studs 8 cast integraltherewith, which project from its rear.

-. Within the the newspaper opening' 20, I form a newsface through holes 9 in the flanges 6. uts 1O secure the flanges to the studs,- reinforc- ,1 "Specification of Letters Patent. Patenffl July 11,

ing strips 11 preferably beinginterpo'sed bei tweenthe nuts and the flanges. Theifront plate is provided with an opening 20'for newspapers, an open'ing21 for letters, and a large opening 252, closed by a door'23, for

the removal of the letters. This-door I pre-" 'fent'o hinge at or near the top,as by so doing it is made self-closing and cannot be left standing open and in danger of being torn off .as may and frequently does happen where the door is hinged at the bottom, or at one side. The door has secured to its rear face a rod 24: which projects at each side,

forming trunnions which turn in bearings 25 secured to or formed upon the front plate. A satisfactory hinge is thus pro- ,duced, though itis obvious that I may, if desired, use any other type of hinge. Abutments 26 are secured to or formed upon the inner face of the front plate 7, to limit-the inward movement of the door.

the lower part bf the door is a lock 28. Slots inspection of the interior of the box without opening the latter. The front plate may also be provided with an apert11re..3O for a speaking tube.

body of the box. and opposite Secured to i '29 are preferably cut in the door to permit paper receiving pocket 31;. .This pocket-is preferably formed of a topLpiece'v 32 and a bottom piece 33, the bottom piece being bent up to form the end of the pocket 34. This bottom piece may also be bent into a loop at its forward end, the doubled over portion acting as a reinforcing member for-the bottom of the pocket as well as for the portion of the front plate separating the newspaperand letter openings. This newspaper pocket is designed to admit only aportion. of a-newspaper, being large enough to permit the insertion of the end of a' folded paper by letter carrier or newsboy, and thus avoiding the usual clogging of the letter slot with newspapers. At the same time, the sizeof the box is not materially increased by the addition of this feature, as is the case where a receptacle forentire newspapers is Below the letter opening is placed a guard piece 36, preferably exprovided.

tended horizontally for ashort distance, as shown at 37, and then sloping downwardly at an angle of about forty-ti degrees and parallel with the bottom 33 t the news,-

provided with tongues passing paper pocket. A narrow inclined channel for the reception of letters is thus formed which permits them to be easily inserted, but prevents the entrance of the fingers or of an instrument for their surreptitious, removal. The guard 36 is preferably formed of a single piece of metal doubled. upon itself shown at 42 to fit the inclined bottom of the box. The front plate 7 is preferably extended slightly below the bottom of the box as at 4:3 to engage the outer face of the Wall. The baelrot the box preferably rests agairlst the studding or other backing at, to Which it is secured by a screw 45, or in any other suitable manner. By fitting the box in the opening t0 with the inclined bottom resting against the inclined face 42, it is firmly sustained in position and single screw is suiticient to prevent its removal. As the head of this screw is in the interior of the'box, it is obvious that it cannot be taken out 1 without opening the latter, and the removal of the entire box by unauthorized persons is thus prevented. Beneath the inclined bot tom 5 a triangular space is left for the insertion of the electric door bell or mail signal button 50, the wires from which are passed beneath the box. The passage of wires through the box and the taking up of the space of the latter with the push button is thus avoided.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: I

1. In a mail box, a shallow newspaper pocket haying a stationary inclined bottom, a letter receptacle below said pocl et,'the front of said mail box being provided with a pair of parallel slots, one opposite. said newspaper pocket, and one forming a letter drop for the insertion of letters into said receptacle, the fixed inclined bottom of said pocket forming a guard for said letter drop, and an inclined guard piece substantially parallel with the fixed bottom of said pocket, mounted in said box below said letter drop. I n

2. In a. letter box comprising a back and sides, a shallow stationary newspaper pocket comprising a top piece, secured to said back and sides, and a bottom piece secured to said top piece and tosaid sides, said bottompiece having an end offset to form an end for said pocket.

i EDMOND F. TOOMY.

Vit'nesses:

EDMUND QUINCY Mosns OLIVER VYI'LLIAMs. 

